Fortuna Düsseldorf still under pressure before Schalke match: Victory against Dresden helps – but is not enough yet

The 3:1 home win against Dynamo Dresden has temporarily relieved Fortuna Düsseldorf in the relegation battle of the 2. Bundesliga. However, this only changes the situation to a limited extent: After 31 matchdays, Fortuna stands at 34 points in 15th place – and now travels to league leaders FC Schalke 04.

Key statements

• Fortuna Düsseldorf has 34 points after 31 games and is in 15th place.
• The recent record remains problematic: In the last five league games there was one win and four defeats.
• The next match will take place on 02.05.2026 at 8:30 p.m. at league leaders FC Schalke 04.
• In the last three games of the season, Schalke, Elversberg, and Fürth await as opponents from different regions of the table – including a direct competitor.

The situation in the table: Every slip-up can be costly

Fortuna Düsseldorf enters the final phase of the 2025/2026 season with 34 points from 31 games. In the table, this means 15th place. The season record so far (10 wins, 4 draws, 17 defeats) and the goal difference of 30:48 show how narrow the margin is this season: Too often the team fell behind, too often stability turned into unrest.

Additionally, the form of recent weeks increases the pressure. In the last five league games, Düsseldorf managed only one win and suffered four defeats. This series includes the defeats

• at 1. FC Magdeburg (0:2)
• against Holstein Kiel (1:2)
• at 1. FC Kaiserslautern (0:3)
• against Hertha BSC (2:5)

Such phases are particularly dangerous at the bottom of the table, as they not only cost points but can also undermine self-confidence and defensive organization.

The 3:1 win against Dresden: important signal – but only an interim result

The 3:1 against Dynamo Dresden on 24.04.2026 was Düsseldorf's biggest home win of the current season. Especially after the previous setbacks, this result carries sporting weight: It provides some breathing room, but does not yet solve the fundamental problems.

Because over the course of the season, the defense remains a recurring risk factor: 48 goals conceded after 31 games is a number that quickly becomes an issue again in crucial phases – especially when matches like the 2:5 against Hertha BSC (the highest-scoring Düsseldorf game of the season) show how quickly games can get out of hand.

Even away from home, Düsseldorf was occasionally successful (including narrow wins in Nuremberg and Bochum as well as victories in Münster and Paderborn), but the overall record is so far only just above the relegation line. The decisive factor is therefore whether the Dresden win can serve as the starting point for a more stable final phase – or remains an isolated result.

Outlook: The toughest task awaits at Schalke – then two decisive duels

On Saturday, 02.05.2026, Fortuna Düsseldorf will play at FC Schalke 04 at 8:30 p.m. Schalke leads the table after 31 games with 64 points and goes into the match as a clear favorite.

For Düsseldorf, this is not just a game against the league leaders, but also a stress test for their own resilience: Anyone who wants to survive in the relegation battle needs, even against top teams, at least phases in which the team defends compactly, minimizes mistakes, and consistently uses transition moments.

After the Schalke match, two more games follow that will ultimately define the season:

• 10.05.2026 (1:30 p.m.): Fortuna Düsseldorf – SV 07 Elversberg
• 17.05.2026 (3:30 p.m.): SpVgg Greuther Fürth – Fortuna Düsseldorf

This means that Düsseldorf will face not only a team from the upper part of the table at the end of the season, but also a direct competitor on the last matchday. In this constellation, every point has a different weight: Even a single point against Schalke would be valuable, while the games against Elversberg and Fürth could – depending on developments – become direct finals.